Hoyme Chapel Burning, 1923

Hoyme Memorial Chapel was built in 1906 on the present site of the Art Barn. Named in honor of Rev. Gjermund Hoyme, president of the United Norwegian Lutheran church (he died in 1902), the total cost of the chapel was $20,000. Hoyme Chapel was constructed of red pressed brick in the form of a Latin cross. There was seating for a total of 1050 persons, with a gallery around three sides.

Recently an alumnus donated some family papers that contained correspondence from Pres. Boe. In one of the letters (dated May 5, 1924), Pres. Boe wrote:

"Mrs. Boe and I had driven clear up to northern Minnesota to spend a couple of days after the rather strenuous days we had at the [College] opening. It was beautiful fall day, and we were enjoying ourselves to the full out at a lake about six miles from LaPorte. Then the banker in town came rushing, out of breath, and could barely tell us the message that had come to him, "A building had burned at St. Olaf!" and the best information he could give us was that was Ytterboe Hall.

"It did not take us ten minutes to get all of our stuff into the car and strike for Walker, fifteen miles away. I can assure you that I have never felt so depressed, because I was afraid that with Ytterboe Hall would have gone many lives. At Walker we found that it was the chapel, and at the same time that we deplored the loss, we were thankful no lives had been lost. But gloom settled on us because times were rather difficult and hard. The problems we have had at St. Olaf have been exceedingly difficult these last years. Because of the large number of students attending here, we could ill afford to lose even the old chapel, inadequate as it was, at least in its class-room facilities. But we started up again. We met with the Board of Trustees, and they gave us the permission to start a campaign by letter and articles in the papers for a new building [now known as Holland Hall]."